Portable light



April 24, 1962 E. G. VANCE PORTABLE LIGHT Filed Dec. 11, 1958 Fig.2

Edward G. Vance 1N VEN TOR.

3,031,215 PGRTABLE LIGHT Edward G. Vance, 6200 Nebraska Ave, Tampa, Fla. Filed Dec. 11, 15 58, Ser. No. 779,594 3 Claims. (Cl. 287-3) The present invention generally relates to a portable light and more particularly to such a light having a base plate movably supported by corner wheels together with an upstanding vertically adjustable structure incorporating a universal adjustment joint and supporting arm for a light whereby the light may be positioned in many desired orientations for illuminating an area in which work is to be conducted.

In many industrial uses and particularly in gmages, it is extremely difiicult to have proper illumination in the immediate area in which work is being done. For example, in present day practices, a mechanic in a garage usually is provided with a so-called trouble light which is a shielded bulb with the wire shield having a hook thereon for supporting from an adjacent area. However, such lights are cumbersome, ineffective and quite often are in the way or otherwise become entangled with the person using the same or with some of the surrounding environment. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a portable light which will support a light in an optimum condition for illuminating the area in which the work is being done but also for warming the area in which work is being done.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable light having a heavy rectangular base plate having an axle welded to each end edge thereof with each axle having support wheels on each end thereof for providing a relatively large area of support and providing mobility to the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable light in accordance with the preceding object in which a standard is detachably connected to the base plate and which standard is vertically adjustable in length and provided with means at the upper end thereof for adjustably supporting an elongated arm for rotation about a horizontal axis, sliding movement along the longitudinal axis of the arm and also for rotation about the axis of the elongated arm and about the axis of the vertical standard with the arm being equipped with a light at the outer end thereof which is independently capable of adjustment about a single axis.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable light which is extremely simple in construction, easy to use and maneuver, efiicient in operation, well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended and generally inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the portable light of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale illustrating the structure of the coupling or joint at the upper end of the standard and taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3--3 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the construction of the telescopic adjustment lock for the standard; and

FIGURE 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the manner in which the standard is connected to the base plate.

Patented Apr. 24', 1 962 Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the portable light of the present invention which includes a generally rectangular extending axle M which is welded thereto as by welding 16. Each end of each axle 14 is provided with a wheel 18 rotatably supported thereon whereby the wheels 18 are disposed exteriorly of the confines of the plate 12 thereby providing an enlarged area of support surface thereby providing a stable portable light which will not tilt accidentally due to the enlarged eifective contact area provided by the supporting wheels 18.

Mounted centrally on the base plate 12 is a pipe cap 20 which faces upwardly and which has a central opening 22 in alignment with an internally threaded opening 24 extending through the base plate 12. A threaded bolt 26 extends through the opening 22 and is threaded in the threaded opening 24 thereby rigidly locking the pipe cap 2% to the center of the base plate 12 with a nut and washer 27 locking the assembly.

Extending vertically upwardly from the pipe cap '26 is a pipe member 28 having a lower externally threaded end 3% in detachable screw threaded engagement with the pipe cap 20, The upper end of the pipe 28 is externally threaded as indicated by the numeral 32 and has an internal taper 34. A pipe cap 36 is in screw threaded engagement with the external threads 32 and is provided with an opening 38 receiving a pipe 40 smaller than the pipe 28 and telescopic in relation thereto. A split sleeve bushing 44 is disposed between the tapered portion 3% of the pipe 28 and the exterior surface of the pipe 40. The upper end of the tapered bushing or sleeve 44 engages .the cap 3.6 whereby rotation of the cap 36 will cause or permit longitudinal movement of the bushing 44. For

example, when the pipe cap 36 is screwed downwardly,'

the bushing 44 will be moved downwardly thus tightly clamping the pipe 40 therein for adjusting the effective over-all length of the standard'while yet permitting rotation of the pipe 40 about its longitudinal axis without the pipe 40 descending into the pipe 28. While this type of joint has been specifically described and illustrated, it is pointed out that a setscrew construction may be employed for holding the pipe 40 in vertically adjusted position.

The upper end of the pipe 40 is provided with a modified T-fitting 46 which is known as a spear head T and which is offset to one side thereof. In each end of the fitting 46, there is provided a bushing 48 and 50 respectively. Extending through the bushings 48 and 50 is a shaft or bolt member 52 having pipe threads 54 on one end thereof for screw threaded engagement with the interior of a bushing 55 received in one branch of a cross fitting 58. The bolt 52 extends through the bushings 48 and 50 and receives a thrust bearing assembly 60 adjacent one end thereof with the thrust bearing assembly having a washer '62 on one side and a washer 64 on the other side and a jam nut 66 on the outer end thereof engaging the washer 64 whereby tightening of the nut as will increase the frictional engagement between bushings 50 and 56 thereby frictionally locking the crossfitting 58 in adjustable position about the axis of the bolt 52 which is rigidly connected with the bushing 56 and which may turn in the bushings 48 and 50 and in the thrust bearing 69 whereby pivotal-movement of the cross fitting 53 will not vary the adjustment or frictional resistance to movement.

Slidably extending through two aligned branches of the cross fitting 58 is an elongated tubular arm 68 which receives an electrical conductor 70 therein which electrical conductor extends outwardly through a cap 72 on 3 one end of the arm 68 and is provided with the usual male plug 74 on the free end thereof.

For holding the arm 68 in longitudinally adjusted position in the cross fitting 58 and also in adjusted position about the longitudinal axis thereof, there is provided a screw-threaded plug 76 having a polygonal projection 78 on the outer end thereof for receiving a transverse handle 80 for rotation of the plug 76. A washer 82 is disposed between the inner end of the plug 76 and the surface of the arm 68 for frictionally locking the arm 68 in position but permitting sliding movement thereof against the frictional drag of the locking frictional washer and also permitting rotation of the arm 68 about its longitudinal axis.

The outer end of the arm 68 is provided with a threaded fitting 84 and a light socket 86 connected thereto by a pivot bolt 88. The light socket 86 receives a heat and light bulb 90 which is a combined light bulb in that it gives off sufiicient illumination and also heat for heating up the area in which work is being done.

In operation, the light is propelled to the desired area by grasping the upstanding standard or pipe 28 and rolling the same over a supporting surface. When it is desired to change direction, it is only necessary to place the foot against the end of the plate 12 and pull on the pipe 28 in the direction of the foot thus tilting the standard 28 and raising the two remote wheels off the surface thereby permitting the direction of the device to be easily changed. When the arm 68 is stored alongside of the pipe or standard 28, the device is relatively compact for ease of storage. The combined heat and light bulb or just a light bulb may be employed in the socket 86 which may have a suitable switch for control thereof and by adjusting the arm 68 longitudinally and about its longitudinal axis in an angular manner and by adjusting the effective length of the standard and by rotating the pipe 40 about its longitudinal axis and by pivoting the arm 68 about the axis of the bolt 52, the light bulb 90 may be positioned in substantially any position for illuminating hard to illuminate areas such as areas beneath the dashboard on the interior of an automobile, beneath the hood and other remote areas in an automobile. The bushings 50 and 56 may have larger hex heads thereon, if desired, in order to increase the frictional drag against relative rotation between T-fitting 46 and cross fitting 58. Also, the bushings may be constructed of cast material such as cast iron as well as steel. The washer 8-2 is constructed of hard rubber or plastic and is provided with a curved surface engaging the periphery of arm 68 thus resiliently and frictionally locking the arm in adjusted position. Also, friction washers may be employed between bushings 50 and 56 if desired. Further, the device may have utility wherever it is desired to support a light in an area in which work is being done and in which the persons hands doing the work must necessarily be free and in which the persons hands doing the work must be warmed somewhat so that the tendency to drop or otherwise mishandle tools will be reduced. It is pointed out that the threads have been removed from the branches of the cross fitting 58 which slidably and rotatably receive arm 68. Also, the threads have been removed from the interior of the bushings 48 and 50 for journalling bolt 52.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and rotary and longitudinal sliding adjustment of the arm in relation to the tubular member, said arm adapted to support a light at one end thereof for illuminating an area in which work is to be performed, said means attaching the arm to the tubular member including a T-coupling having a depending branch attached to the upper end of the tubular member and a horizontal branch, an elongated bolt extending longitudinally through said horizontal branch of the T-coupling, a cross fitting having one branch rigidly connected to one end of said bolt and in alignment with the horizontal branch, the other end of said bolt extending outwardly of the horizontal branch and being threaded and provided with a jam nut, a thrust bearing between the jam nut and the adjacent end of the horizontal branch of the T-fitting, and abutting bushings on the other end of the horizontal branch of the T-fitting and said one branch of the cross fitting in frictional engagement with each other whereby tightening of the jam nut will increase the frictional resistance to rotation of the cross fitting about the axis of the bolt, said bolt being journaled in one of the bushings, the other of said bushings being fixed on the bolt and in the cross fitting, said arm being slidably and rotatably received in the aligned branches of the cross fitting in perpendicular relation to the bolt and said one branch, said cross fitting including an outer branch in alignment with said one branch attached to the bolt, a plug threadedly engaged in the outer branch of the cross fitting and a friction washer disposed against the inner end of the plug in clamping engagement with the arm for frictionally locking the arm in longitudinally adjusted postion.

2. A portable light in accordance with claim 1, said one bushing being threaded in said other end of the horizontal branch of the T-fitting and removable therefrom, said other bushing being threaded on the bolt and in said one branch of the cross fitting and removable therefrom, and a third bushing threadedly mounted in said adjacent end of the horizontal branch of the T-fitting in abutting engagement with the thrust bearing and rotatably receiving the bolt.

3. For use with a portable light structure including a standard, a T-fitting on the upper end of the standard, headed bushings removably threaded in the end portions of said T-fitting and projecting longitudinally therefrom, a shaft journaled in said bushings and projecting longitudinally therefrom, a headed bushing threadedly mounted on one end portion of the shaft for end-abutting engagement with one of the first-named bushings, a crossfitting removably threaded on the second-named bushing for rotation in unison therewith, an arm mounted for rotary and sliding adjustment in the cross fitting and adapted to support a lamp at one end, means for frictionally securing the arm in adjusted position in the cross fitting, a nut threaded on the other end portion of the shaft for engaging the second-named bushing with said one of said first-named bushings for frictionally securing the cross fitting in rotatably adjusted position, and a ball-type thrust bearing on the shaft and interposed between the nut and the other of said first-named bushings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 146,988 Church Feb. 3, 1874 566,360 White Aug. 25, 1896 1,319,247 Romig Oct. 2 1, 1919 1,375,888 Baer Apr. 26, 1921 1,498,054 Manley June 17, 1924 1,511,630 Ozlek Oct. 14, 1924 1,777,185 Thompson Sept. 30, 1930 2,012,284 Nirdlinger Aug. 27, 1935 2,532,173 Lewis Nov. 28, 1950 2,868,558 Kraus Ian. 13, 1959 2,914,954 Best Dec. 1, 1959 

